This invention relates to a system for removing accumulated snow and ice that is adapted for use on surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, roadways, buildings, motor vehicles, and elsewhere. More particularly, this invention relates to a portable system, which uses and recaptures heated air, for initiating the removal of snow and ice from said surfaces.
Snow and ice removal from sidewalks, walkways, driveways, and patios is traditionally carried out by using a shovel and/or a hoe. The problems associated with the use of such traditional devices are many. First, for example, a significant amount of labor is involved with the removal of snow and ice. Second, a shovel may not remove all of the snow from a surface, especially from a textured surface such as cobblestone or brick. Third, on such textured surfaces, it is difficult to shovel at all due to the shovel engaging the corners of the cobblestone, brick, or like surface. Finally, using a hoe or similar device with too much force may damage expensive outdoor surfaces.
To overcome some of the deficiencies associated with a shovel, the snow blower was invented. This device has been around for decades. However, snow blowers also have several deficiencies. For example, snow blowers may use electric power and often are limited by the range of the extension cord and/or the short term or low watt power supply of a portable battery that provides power to the unit. Snow blowers may also use gasoline powered engines that are deficient in that they require the storage of gasoline, may emit harmful and foul odors, and are extremely noisy. Moreover, given the large size of snow blowers, they are often unsuitable for use in tight alley ways and near buildings. They also are unable to remove solid ice from surfaces.
To overcome the deficiencies of the snow blower, several inventions for melting snow and ice have been proposed. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,299, to Scalia, for a Portable Snow Melting Device; United States Publication No. US/2002/0069560 A1, by Smith, for a Snow Melting Device; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,762, to Monson, for an Apparatus for Melting Snow and Ice. These known devices may melt snow and ice; however, they are inefficient in their consumption of power in converting electrical/chemical energy into heat energy, and many of them are not versatile in their ability to be used in small spaces or on uneven or non-ground level surfaces.
It therefore would be desirable to provide a system for removing snow and ice from a surface that overcomes the deficiencies of the aforementioned prior art.